Does pursuing a career devoted to understanding the human mind and helping people intrigue you? You’ve probably considered studying counselling or psychology. These are noble professions where you can make a real difference in the lives of people struggling with challenges and different mental health issues. But how do you know if you should be a psychologist or counselling? These professions are sometimes used interchangeably, but you need to understand that while there may be some similarities, these are two very different roles.
What does a counsellor do?
Counselling is what people refer to as talk therapy. Professional counsellors are the people who will provide a safe environment where their clients feel comfortable enough to talk about their thoughts, feelings, and problems in confidence, all while the counsellor listens. Counselling is a good short-term method of helping clients address practical issues. Counsellors will not diagnose clients with mental health conditions or put them on treatment plans, but they will provide a space where clients can talk and process things.
Counsellors generally work in areas such as:
- Career counselling
- Drug and alcohol addiction counselling
- Family counselling
- General mental health counselling
- School counselling
- Marriage counselling
Some of the expected day-to-day responsibilities of a counsellor will be to:
- Deliver counselling sessions to clients (virtually or in person)
- Take in-depth case notes
- Offer ongoing advice, support and guidance
- Maintain client records
What does a psychologist do?
Psychology is a profession that focuses on more complex issues, like mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder and various other problems. Essentially, psychologists focus on the science behind human behaviour and emotions and will diagnose and treat conditions that can be physical, neurological or psychological by nature. Psychology is a long-term process that may require sessions with clients for months or even years and will treat clients’ problems with evidence-based methods.
Some of the day-to-day responsibilities that a psychologist are expected to carry out include:
- Continuing and completing research on cases
- Consulting with medical professionals on the best course of action for patient care
- Facilitating sessions with clients
- Partaking in observational sessions
- Planning patient treatment strategies
- Writing reports on cases
The main differences between counsellors and psychologists
As you can see from the different responsibilities of counsellors and psychologists, there are quite a few differences between the two professions. The main difference between these two roles is their methodology and the ability to diagnose clients. Another big difference is where these professionals work, as psychologists typically work in private practices, community and non-government mental health services, and hospitals, while counsellors usually work in schools, universities, community health, and NGOs.
Psychologists are mental health professionals who are allowed to diagnose clients. They will use methods that include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help their clients better manage their condition. Counsellors may adopt these methods, too, but they lean more towards supporting and encouraging their clients to find their own methods to manage their emotions.
What to study to become a counsellor
The journey to becoming a counsellor requires you to complete an accredited course that is preferably related to counselling. You need to first do a Bachelor of Counselling or Diploma of Counselling. Should you have any other accredited degree but want to pursue counselling, then you can do a Graduate Certificate in Counselling.
Next, consider furthering your studies and getting a postgraduate qualification, like a Graduate Diploma in Counselling or doing your Master’s degree. This will provide you with specialist skills to practice counselling.
Once you’ve got the appropriate qualifications, you must then register with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) or Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
What to study to become a psychologist
To become a psychologist in Australia, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree related to psychology, like a Bachelor of Psychological Science or Bachelor of Psychology, followed by a fourth year of studies, completing either your Graduate Diploma in Psychology or your Honours.
Next up, you’ll need to get your master’s Degree or Doctorate, or you can do a two-year supervision in a board-certified internship or, alternatively, one year of supervised practice and a year of postgraduate study.
Following your studies, you will have to apply for a provisional registration for a two-year registrar program. Then, you will be eligible to register with the Psychology Board of Australia and be listed with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Final Thoughts
While both counsellors and psychologists are professionals who should have a strong desire to help people deal with challenging situations pertaining to mental health, they have different roles and require different studies. Understanding the different roles, responsibilities and requirements each profession demands will give you a good idea of which career you would be better suited to.
For those who want to be able to diagnose and provide treatment plans, psychology is the best choice. If you feel you would best suit the role of being someone who focuses predominantly on talk therapy and listening to clients, then you’d suit being a counsellor.
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